Summary: AquaWomb, a Dutch startup with links to Eindhoven University of Technology, is developing an artificial-womb system to support infants born at 22–24 weeks by recreating in‑utero conditions with synthetic amniotic fluid and an artificial placenta. The device relies on a fluid-transfer protocol, catheters for CO2 removal and cannulas for oxygen and nutrients to avoid ventilator-induced lung injury. The company emphasizes parental bonding and uses digital manikin models instead of animal testing. Still in R&D with no human trials announced, the technology faces significant regulatory and ethical questions and is likely several years from clinical use.
Inside AquaWomb: An Artificial Womb Aiming to Protect Babies Born at 22–24 Weeks
Summary: AquaWomb, a Dutch startup with links to Eindhoven University of Technology, is developing an artificial-womb system to support infants born at 22–24 weeks by recreating in‑utero conditions with synthetic amniotic fluid and an artificial placenta. The device relies on a fluid-transfer protocol, catheters for CO2 removal and cannulas for oxygen and nutrients to avoid ventilator-induced lung injury. The company emphasizes parental bonding and uses digital manikin models instead of animal testing. Still in R&D with no human trials announced, the technology faces significant regulatory and ethical questions and is likely several years from clinical use.
12:09 AM, 11/11/2025Health
Inside AquaWomb: Recreating the Womb for Extremely Premature Infants
Overview: AquaWomb, a Netherlands-based startup with roots at Eindhoven University of Technology, is developing an artificial-womb system designed to support infants born at 22–24 weeks—an age at which traditional mechanical ventilation often causes severe, lifelong harm.
The device uses a temperature-controlled glass chamber roughly the size of a childhood goldfish aquarium. Inside the tank, synthetic amniotic fluid surrounds the infant while an artificial placenta connects directly to the baby’s umbilical cord. Fine catheters remove carbon dioxide and sturdier cannulas deliver oxygen and nutrients, allowing organs—particularly fragile lungs—to continue developing without exposure to air.
How transfer works: The proposed protocol begins with a planned C-section delivery into a fluid-filled transfer bag to preserve a seamless transition from the biological womb to the artificial environment. Once in the chamber, the infant remains submerged in the synthetic fluid while clinicians monitor and manage metabolic, respiratory and nutritional support through the external placenta interface.
Why this matters: Babies born before 24 weeks have extremely underdeveloped lungs that can be damaged by conventional ventilators. Forcing air into immature lung tissue can lead to chronic lung disease, intracranial hemorrhage and long-term neurological injury. AquaWomb’s approach aims to reduce those risks by prolonging in‑womb conditions until the infant’s organs are better prepared for breathing air.
Design priorities: Unlike some teams focused on surgical implantation, AquaWomb emphasizes an obstetrics-first approach and parental bonding: the system includes tactile access ports and audio capability so parents can maintain physical and auditory connections during extended gestation. The company also prioritizes non-animal development methods, using digital manikin models to accelerate iteration and address ethical concerns.
“These devices could create a new stage of human development,” ethicists warn—an outcome that raises complex legal and moral questions regulators must confront.
Current status and caution: AquaWomb is in research and development with no public announcement of human trials. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration convened advisory panels in 2023 to begin addressing how artificial womb technologies should be regulated, and experts emphasize that prototypes are promising but not yet clinical solutions. Widespread hospital adoption is likely several years away, giving regulators and ethicists time to shape appropriate safeguards.
Bottom line: AquaWomb represents a potentially transformative approach to neonatal care for the most extreme preterm infants—one that balances medical goals with parental connection—but it remains experimental and must clear substantial scientific, regulatory and ethical hurdles before it can become standard care.